As used herein, the term "companion animals" refers to animals commonly domesticated by people and used as companionship pets. This could include, for example, dogs and cats, but otherwise may also include more exotic pets. Such companion animals frequently may develop various skin conditions that affect the appearance of their skin and hair. These disturbances, which may affect skin and hair, can range from pathological conditions of the skin, to fungal infections of the skin, to hyperkeratosis (cornification), to dramatic hair loss, to keratolysis (dissolving or peeling of the keratin from the epidermis), and to other conditions such as pruritus (intense and persistent itching). Those listed here are not intended to be all inclusive, but only illustrative. The many different possible skin conditions that may frequently occur with companion animals often create stress on the part of the pet owner. Put another way, the pet owner becomes disturbed over the appearance changes and apparent distress caused to the companion pet animal. Frequent occurrences of such skin disturbances often results in the pet being taken to the veterinarian.
The veterinarian may prescribe a prescription shampoo containing some medications. However, the problem is that such prescription shampoos are generally made for generalized treatment of skin disorders, without any particular tailoring of the formulation to any specific skin disorder. As a result, while some of the medicated shampoos are effective for certain specific treatments, none have the ability to be customized or tailored for specific treatment for individual skin disturbances of any particular pet.
The present state of the art also is therefore deficient in the treatment of such dermatological problems in companion animals because it is difficult or near impossible to customize a treatment for each animal. True customization for different dermatological problems for each different animal would entail mixing different treatment compositions with ingredients that specifically address the dermatological problem. Such specific laboratory formulation from scratch each time, without any standardized apparatus, instructions, or guidance, would be time-consuming and beyond the knowledge of most practicing veterinarians. It would also be impractical with respect to the necessity of having a wide variety of ingredients available and in inventory.
Accuracy of dosage is also a significant consideration. In a true from scratch laboratory formulation, without any instruction or guidance, the person mixing the specific medicated shampoo must either find references for quick guidance, or take it upon themselves to decide on the required dose amounts and concentrations of each component. Still further, mixing from scratch at the clinic brings into consideration the efficiency of use of resources. There is no pre-packaging or pre-design of dosages. Trial and error comes into play with the result of waste of time and materials. Specific shampoo tailoring is therefore simply not done with any regularity. Therefore, this complex situation needs a better solution in the art. That needed solution includes the need for efficient and economical production, packaging, shipment, and storage of components for the system. Moreover, there is a need for efficient guidance and labeling to facilitate the entire system.
There is, therefore, a continuing and real need for the development of customized or tailor-made medicated shampoos, with the shampoo itself designed for treatment of a specific companion pet, after that pet has been properly diagnosed. This invention has as an object fulfillment of this need.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide such a customized medicated shampoo as described above.
Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a customized and medicated shampoo system which can be individualized for treatment of dermatological disturbances of particular pet animals without having to individually formulate the entire shampoo systems for each animal.
A yet further objective of the present invention is to provide a particular and individualized treatment of dermatological disturbances of companion animals which can be conveniently prescribed, after companion animal epidermological diagnosis, without having to start from "scratch", so to speak, with each creation of each shampoo system.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a shampoo system kit that can be individualized after diagnosing specific companion animal skin disturbances.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a packaging system for a particularized and individualized treatment of dermatological disturbances of companion animals through use of customized medicated shampoos.
Additional objects of the present invention include:
a method of manufacturing and packaging a system such as the above-described one, which includes multiple interrelated components; PA1 a method of manufacturing and packaging which is efficient in its utilization of resources and economical in its use of materials; PA1 a packaging of multiple components that is durable to deter spillage or breakage during shipment; PA1 a packaging system that allows quick and durable conversion of shipping containers to display holders; PA1 a system of packaging which allows shipment of multiple containers to one location to enable that location to have multiple dosages of ingredients and containers available for many different customers; PA1 use of components of the system, each of which is easy to operate and accurate in dispensation of dose as well as efficient in containment of ingredients; and PA1 a system of integrated instructions, guides, multiple dosage medications and a base shampoo all of which can accurately and efficiently be dispensed and presented to multiple customers.
The method and manner of accomplishing each of the above objectives will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention.